Shipment of heavy US bombs arrive in “Israel”

“Israel's” defence ministry said Sunday that a shipment of "heavy" US-made bombs arrived overnight in Israel, as Marco Rubio began his first visit to the country as Washington's top diplomat.

"A shipment of heavy aerial bombs recently released by the US government was received and unloaded overnight in Israel," the ministry said in a statement, referring to MK-84 munitions recently authorised by President Donald Trump's administration.

Read more: Rubio arrives in “Israel” on first Middle East tour

In early February 2025, the US State Department, led by Rubio, notified Congress of a proposed USD 7.4 billion arms sale to Israel. This package includes a significant quantity of munitions, such as 2,800 MK-82 500-pound bomb bodies and 13,000 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guidance kits for MK-84 bomb bodies.

The Mark 84 (MK-84) is a 2,000-pound general-purpose bomb developed by the United States and is the largest of the Mark 80 series of low-drag, general-purpose bombs.

Upon detonation, the MK-84 can create a crater approximately 50 feet wide and 36 feet deep, penetrate up to 15 inches of metal or 11 feet of concrete, and produce lethal fragmentation within a 400-foot radius.

During the recent aggression on Gaza, “Israel” extensively employed US-supplied MK-84 bombs.

Their extensive use by “Israel” in densely populated areas led to international scrutiny and debates over arms transfers. In May 2024, the United States briefly suspended shipments of these bombs to “Israel” due to concerns over their use in civilian regions.